Kanyam and Antu packed with tourists on New Year

By Prem Adhikari,Pashupatinagar, Apr. 14: Kanyam and Antu are presently full of tourists who have come to Ilam to celebrate the Nepali New Year 2080.

Homestay operator Rudra Ghimire said that a large number of Indian and Bangladeshi had arrived in Antu for the New Year. 

He informed that nearly all of the 64 hotels and cottages and 61 homestays of Antu had been booked. 

Facilities in the region have the capacity to accommodate around 4,000 people. 

But this year, all of them are packed and visitors are having to look for hotels elsewhere, Ghimire shared.

Antu is a famous hill that offers people a enthralling view of the sunrise. Similarly, they have the option to boat on the Antu Pond or roam around the beautiful tea plantations. The sight of mountains Kanchenjunga and Kumbhakarna blushing from the kiss of the morning sun's rays captures the heart of Nepalis and foreigners alike. 

Domestic tourist Dipa Adhikari said that the beautiful wooden houses standing amidst the tea plantations and flower gardens and homestays offering delicious local cuisine also made Antu a must-visit destination for the New Year's Day.

Kavita Thapa, who came to Antu from Darjeeling a few days ago to celebrate the New Year, said that she could not stay away from Antu and Kanyam. "The heart always wants more. These places keep pulling us," she said.

In Kanyam, most of the hotels were booked in advance. 

Local hotelier Tek Raj Giri, said tourists opted for advanced booking because they felt they would not be able to get rooms. 

He also said that more and more Indians were celebrating the Nepali New Year and had been coming to Ilam to celebrate it.

Those coming to Kanyam also dress up in the traditional attire of different ethnic groups and take pictures. Suryodaya Municipality, where Antu and Kanyam both lie, has also built a Selfie Park and TikTok Park to attract selfie-takers and social media enthusiasts. 

In addition to these two places, Jhandi Hill, Panitar, Maipokhari and Sandakpur are also packed with tourists. 

Rinji Sherpa, who runs a hotel in Sandakpur, said that a large number of Bangladeshi nationals had come to the hill station situated at an altitude of 3,636 metres above sea level. 

Over 40 snowcapped mountain peaks are visible from Sandakpur.

Tourism businesses are hopeful that after more than two years of COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, the first day of the Bikram Sambat 2080 will prove to be a boon and herald a profitable year.